The renewed bond between God and the Israelites reaches a profound climax through the promise of an eternal covenant. Following a period of exile and hardship, the nation turns away from its past wrongs, allowing God’s divine presence and care to return and embrace them once more [אברבנאל]. This reconciliation is pictured as a beautiful, new betrothal built on deep spiritual foundations of trust and mutual recognition.
The primary approach among commentators views this new betrothal as a direct reward. God promises to redeem the Israelites because of the unwavering faith they maintained throughout their long exile. Despite immense difficulties, they held tightly to the promises of the prophets [רש״י, מצודת דוד, צאינה וראינה]. This faith is not a minor detail but the very root of spiritual perfection. It serves as the historical key to redemption, mirroring the deep trust that earned Abraham his standing and the belief that originally led the Israelites out of Egypt [אברבנאל].
Others understand this faithfulness as a description of the relationship's new quality. Rather than just a reward, it represents absolute stability—a faithful, enduring bond that will never collapse [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. In this renewed state, the Israelites will be exclusively devoted to God, completely free from the false beliefs and corruptions of surrounding nations [אבן עזרא, אברבנאל]. Historically, this points toward the era of the future Third Temple, a time when true belief will be restored and cleansed from the heresies that plagued the Second Temple period [אברבנאל].
The natural result of this new betrothal is a deep, intimate knowledge of God. Achieving this knowledge is a monumental spiritual milestone [מצודת דוד] and stands in stark contrast to the nation's past, where their sins were driven by a tragic lack of understanding [אבן עזרא].
A fascinating spiritual progression links these two concepts together. Faith acts as the initial gift or condition that the Israelites bring to the relationship. In return for this loyalty, God grants them a parallel gift: clear knowledge. When God openly reveals His presence and wonders, the people will transition from mere belief to absolute certainty. At this elevated stage of true knowledge, traditional faith will no longer be necessary, as faith is only required when a person relies on tradition rather than direct, undeniable experience [מלבי״ם]. Ultimately, this brings to life the prophetic vision where every person, from the youngest to the oldest, will intimately know God [רד״ק].